Andre Burakovsky‘s junior team, the Erie Otters, kicked off the OHL Western conference finals against Guelph Storm on Thursday.

The series features the league’s two best regular-season teams and could become the best match-up of the playoffs, featuring three NHL first-round draft selections (Burakovsky, Brendan Gaunce, and Jason Dickinson) as well as three shoo-ins to be picked in the first round of either 2014 or 2015 (Robby Fabbri, Connor McDavid, and Dylan Strome).

Game One more than lived up to the hype: the teams combined for nine goals on 53 shots, trading the lead all game long. Guelph won 5-4 at home and retained home-ice advantage. Burakovsky, playing on the Otters second line with Strome and Michael Curtis, was the catalyst of Erie’s attacks, earning third star of the game honors.

In the second period, Burakovsky collected the puck behind the net, carried it to the half wall, avoided a big hit by Tyler Bertuzzi, then walked to the middle lane to fire from between the circles. His shot was deflected by Strome and found the back of the net, making the score 3-2 Otters less than half a minute after Brendan Gaunce erased the Storm’s lead.

Burakovsky is #95 in white.

In the third period, Burakovsky gave the Otters another lead, this time to make it 4-3. After corralling a pass from Curtis in the neutral zone, Burakovsky cut to the middle and fired a shot past Justin Nichols. Unfortunately for the young Swedish forward, that lead lasted for just 25 seconds until Bertuzzi tied the game again. Guelph’s Ryan Horvat would score the game winner soon thereafter.

Both of Burakovsky’s points came from him making the plays on the right wing (his off wing), where he’s been playing for some time now, developing chemistry with two left-handed forwards, Strome and Curtis. The gameplan for him is to use his stickhandling in traffic, cut to the middle of the ice, get the goalie on the move, and gain a good angle to shoot the puck. With his quick release, goaltenders are often unable to get square to the shooter in time.

Burakovsky rushed the puck up the ice on nearly every shift, helping his linemates to hem the opposition in their zone. OHL doesn’t track shot attempts, but Burakovsky seemed to spend the majority of his ice time in the offensive zone.

Here’s one of his rushes:

And here’s a long shift in the offensive zone:

Burakovsky also went beyond his responsibilities, getting physical in his own zone against Stephen Pierog, as well as six-foot-seven Justin Auger.

This was Burakovsky’s most complete performance I’ve seen all year. He was involved, he knew what he was doing in his own zone, and he played very smartly with the puck.

Burakovsky’s two-point performance solidified his position as the leader in playoff goals. He now has a two-goal advantage over Bertuzzi, his teammate Dane Fox, North Bay’s Nick Paul, and Barrie’s Brendan Lemieux (son of Claude).

Despite the loss, Burakovsky’s strong play in all zones is one of the reasons why it’s far too early for the Otters fans to panic. Otters and Storm will play in game two on Friday.

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Capitals first-round pick Andre Burakovsky was dominant late in the OHL regular season, and he has kept that trend going in the playoffs. In two games against the Saginaw Spirit, Burakovsky scored three goals, turning the Otters’ second line into a lethal weapon. (You know you have deep forward corps when your team can put both him and Brendan Gaunce on the second line.)

The Erie Otters won both games with a final score of 4-3, the second game decided in overtime. The third game will be held on Monday at 7:11 PM ET.

Burakovsky is currently tied for first in goals in these still-young OHL playoffs.

In the first game of the series, Burakovsky scored twice.

Burakovsky’s goals are at the 0:15 and 0:32 marks.

In the second game, Burakovsky scored just once, but had numerous opportunities to get more points.

Riley Barber wasn’t the only Capitals prospect to have a great Saturday. Andre Burakovsky of the Erie Otters recorded four points, two goals and two assists, in his team’s 7-1 blowout over the Mississauga Steelheads, concluding a big week for Erie during which they won three games and outscored opponents 19 to 5.

Burakovsky’s 37 points in 26 games are good for sixth in points among players under nineteen years of age. His 19 goals lead the age group.

One Burakovsky assist is at 0:20. His goals are at 0:45 and 1:10 mark.

On his second assist of the night, the speedy Swede stepped around the check of one Steelheads and passed the puck to Connor McDavid, who was waiting near the side of the net to jam it in.

During a late second-period power play, Burakovsky scored using his trademark snipe off the left wing, putting Erie up 5-1. Late in the game, McDavid came down the left wing and fed the puck to wide open Burakovsky, who put it in the net before Steelheads goalie was able to get from post to post.

Lately, Burakovsky has been back on the Otters’ top line next to Connor McDavid. That will definitely help his production.

Washington Capitals 2013 first-round draft pick Andre Burakovsky is off to a great start in his OHL career. He’s been playing on the Erie Otters’ second line and has 18 points in 13 games. Erie has tied their franchise-best ten-game winning streak after a 4-0 win over the Peterborough Petes on Saturday.

Burakovsky scored a highlight-reel goal in the third period of the game, marking his fourth straight game with points.

Burakovsky’s goal is at 1:04.

With Erie already up 3-0, Burakovsky cuts from the right wing and fires to the top shelf glove side to beat Petes’ Andrew D’Agostini.

Burakovsky is interviewed after being named first star of the game. (Photo via DaneFox)

Washington Capitals 2013 first-round pick Andre Burakovsky had his best game in the OHL so far on Saturday. He was named first star of the game after scoring a goal and recording four assists in the Erie Otters’ 8-4 win over the North Bay Battalion.

The big night helped Burakovsky, who now has eight points in four outings, climb to the top 30 in leaguewide scoring despite having played two fewer games than most of the competition. His two points per game are good to tie for sixth in the OHL.

Saturday’s game was Erie’s home opener and the first game played in Erie Insurance Arena after recent renovations.

Burakovsky’s assists are at 0:20, 0:48 Goal is at 1:00 mark. Two of assists can’t be seen in the video.

On Erie’s first goal, Burakovsky took the puck down the wing on the power play and dropped it back to the blueline. A shot by Dane Fox hit Burakovsky on his way to the net and bounced off the end boards on the stick of Connor Brown.

Burakovsky’s second assist came on the power play as well. Burakovsky was coming down the right wing, then turned around and fed the puck to the front of the net for Brown, who then found Fox for an easy finish.

Less than thirty seconds later, still in the first minute of the second period, Burakovsky cut to the middle of the ice and put a wrist shot past North Bay’s goalie Brendan O’Neill to make it 3-1.

Washington Capitals first-round pick Andre Burakovsky scored two goals and recorded an assist in his Erie Otters’ debut against the Niagara IceDogs in the team’s first preseason game of the season. Throughout the game, Burakovsky, wearing number 95, took regular shifts with on the Otters’ first line, centered by 2015 draft top prospect Connor McDavid. On Burakovsky’s opposite wing was Leafs’ sixth-round pick Connor Brown. The trio combined for 14 points in a 6-3 drubbing of Niagara.

Both of Burakovsky’s goals came in the second period during which the Otters blew the game wide open, taking a commanding 5-0 lead.

Burakovsky’s first goal on North American soil. (Video credit: Victor Fernandes)

While his Otters debut was easy, his trip from Sweden to Erie earlier in the week was more challenging. The 18-year-old prospect, who described the trip as “pretty hard,” first flew from Sweden to Paris. When he tried to board his connecting flight to North America, they wouldn’t let him on the plane. After issues were worked out, Burakovsky bought a new ticket. After a long wait, he finally boarded another flight and made it to America. His luggage and gear, however, stayed in Paris.

Without equipment, Burakovsky was forced to sit out the first two days of his team’s camp. He was limited to just one scrimmage with his new teammates before the first game of the preseason on Saturday.

In his chat with reporters, Burakovsky also talked about the decision to come over to play for the Otters. His signing with Erie ended an almost two-month-long series of rumors and negotiations that reportedly involved teams from many leagues.

“It was very important for me to make the right decision,” Burakovsky explained to Victor Fernandes. “I was thinking a lot about it with my agent and my family, what’s best for me and stuff. I talked a lot with Washington, and they think it’s gonna be good for me to play in Erie in the OHL. So I decided to come over because I think I’ll play a lot here and will be a leader for the team. I think it can be really good for my future.”

The Austrian-born winger plans on leaving for Washington later this week to participate in Caps rookie camp, and, if all goes well, the big league training camp immediately after that. At least we know now that if Erie ends up being Burakovsky’s final destination this fall, it’s a league he’ll likely dominate.

Andre on the bench during his first scrimmage as an Otter. (Photo credit: Otters Twitter)

Washington Capitals prospect Andre Burakovsky managed to get drafted in the first round of two different drafts this week. The young winger, reportedly unable to reach an agreement on a deal with the Malmo Redhawks of second-tier Swedish league Allsvenskan, was selected fifth overall in a CHL Import Draft Wednesday by the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters where he may join fellow Swede, Blue Jackets goaltending prospect Oskar Dansk.

According to NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, Burakovsky is open to playing in the CHL next season, but wants to discuss it both with his agent and the Capitals.

“I think either situation [Sweden or the CHL] would be good for him,” Capitals director of amateur scouting Ross Mahoney told Kimelman. “He’ll be a year older and have a chance to play more with the men, but also playing in major junior, playing against his peers, he’s going to get lots of ice time with the quality of athlete he is. Either way it’s a win/win situation for him.”

The Otters, who are followed closely by many junior hockey fans because of potential 2015 first overall draft pick, Connor McDavid, missed the playoffs for a second straight year last season. They also finished second to last in the OHL, which granted them the fifth overall pick they used on Burakovsky.

If Burakovsky indeed moves to the CHL, he will be playing in Erie, PA, just 365 miles from Washington, DC. RMNB road trip!

Dave Brown, Erie Otters’ Assisant GM of Hockey Operations

Thrilled to be adding Andre Burakovsky to our organization, a world class athlete. A gifted player that will entertain the @ErieOtters fans